Do you feel like your business is lagging in the digital age? If so, you’re not alone. Many businesses struggle to keep up with today’s rapid pace of technological advancements.

When looking at the biggest technological evolutions of recent year, cloud computing must be up there. It offers a powerful solution, changing the way businesses manage documents and data. It brings unprecedented scalability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

However, many businesses are hesitant to embrace the cloud, due to concerns about complexity and disruption to their operations when moving from their existing systems, alongside the potential cost implications. But this leads to worse issues later, with many new technologies needing to leverage the cloud to work effectively.

As such, it’s crucial for organisations to adopt a cloud IT infrastructure.

In this blog post, we explore the importance of a cloud-ready IT infrastructure and provide practical tips to help your business transition seamlessly. By understanding the benefits of cloud adoption and developing a well-planned migration strategy, you can unlock the full potential of your business and stay ahead of the competition.

Why a cloud IT infrastructure matters_

There are significant benefits to a cloud IT infrastructure, which is why it is so critical for businesses to adopt one now:

Driving flexibility_

Firstly, the cloud promotes agility and scalability. It’s accessible for your staff from anywhere, at any time, making it ideal for the hybrid working world and reducing the barriers to collaboration.

Cloud computing also allows businesses to scale resources up or down as needed, ensuring that they have the capacity to handle increased workloads or manage costs in quieter periods.

This is coupled with pay-as-you-go pricing which offers financial efficiency. Cloud providers often charge based on usage, which also you to see exactly what you’re spending each month and on what. Cloud providers also manage the underlying infrastructure, eliminating the need for your business to invest in servers, storage, maintenance and networking equipment to reduce upfront investment.

Securing your business_

A cloud IT infrastructure enhances security and compliance. Cloud providers invest heavily in physical security measures to protect their data centres. This includes controlled access, surveillance systems and environmental controls to prevent unauthorised access or damage.

The cloud can improve disaster recovery and business continuity. Cloud providers often have data centres located in different geographic regions, ensuring that data is replicated and accessible even if one location is affected by a disaster. Plus, cloud providers frequently back up data, ensuring that recent copies are always available.

This means data can be switched or restored to alternative centres or old versions during disaster events or other incidents.

They have robust network security measures are essential to protect data in transit and at rest, such as firewalls and encryption protocols. Data encryption, access controls and regular vulnerability assessments can strengthen data protection and stop unauthorised access to your files. This helps you to adhere to industry standards, such as ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR.

Embracing technology_

Many solutions rely on the cloud to operate, or at least work better when integrated with the cloud. Being cloud-ready opens you up to innovation and cutting-edge technology.

It helps you to quickly deploy new applications and services, reducing time-to-market and increasing agility.

On top of this, a cloud IT infrastructure will make it easier for your staff to access your new technologies to drive performance across the business.

The 2024 Enterprise Cloud Index survey saw 90% of respondents taking a “cloud smart” approach to their infrastructure strategy. This suggests more businesses are becoming aware of the benefits and seeking to gain them. You need to make sure your business is one of them.

Assessing and evolving your IT infrastructure_

Before embarking on a cloud migration journey, it’s essential to evaluate your existing IT infrastructure to determine its readiness. This assessment will identify potential challenges, helping you to better prepare your business for the cloud.

Below, we list everything you need to consider with practical tips for getting your business cloud-ready.

1. Data centre capacity_

A data centre is crucial to how your business data is stored, so this is one of the first things to assess before you move to the cloud. Adequate performance is a must for cloud-based applications to operate effectively.

Start by assessing the physical condition of your data centres. You’ll want to assess the size, age and capacity of yours, as these factors will help you determine if they can support any cloud-based applications or not.

Next, evaluate the current utilisation of your data centre resources, including servers, storage and networking equipment. This will help you identify areas where you may be overprovisioning or underutilising resources.

Finally, contemplate your future business needs and projected growth. This will uncover if your current data centre capacity is sufficient, so you avoid capacity constraints and ensure that your infrastructure can support your expansion. It will also help you understand if your existing infrastructure meets the demands of new apps and technologies you wish to introduce.

2. Network infrastructure and connectivity_ 

Your network infrastructure and options for connectivity affect your cloud migration, including reliable data transfer and application running.

Firstly, you’ll need to evaluate the bandwidth of your existing network connections, as sufficient bandwidth is crucial for high performance. Ensure your network infrastructure can handle increased bandwidth demands as your cloud usage grows. This may involve upgrading your existing network equipment or exploring options like SD-WAN, which can offer optimal network management.

Another consideration is the latency of your network. High latency can impact application performance and user experience, as well as slow data transfer. Optimise network routes by choosing the shortest and most efficient paths for data transmission.

Then, you’ll need to consider the availability of different connectivity options, such as dedicated internet access, VPNs or SD-WAN. These options impact network performance, security and cost, so spend time researching them to determine which works best for your business.

3. Application compatibility and modernisation_ 

To minimise disruption, you need your existing systems and applications to be compatible with the cloud.

Identify any legacy applications that may require modernisation or re-platforming to be compatible with cloud environments, as this will need to be considered in the planning stages.

There are a few strategies for this:

• Containerisation packages applications and their dependencies into a single unit, making them portable across different environments. This enables easier deployment, testing and scaling of applications in the cloud. Containers also provide isolation between applications, reducing the risk of conflicts and improving security.
• Microservices architecture breaks down applications into smaller, independent microservices, allowing for greater flexibility and agility. Each microservice can be developed, deployed and scaled independently, making it easier to adapt to changing requirements. Microservices architecture also improves resilience by isolating failures and enabling continuous delivery.
• Serverless computing platforms like Azure Functions eliminate the need for businesses to manage underlying infrastructure. This reduces operational overhead and allows businesses to focus on developing and deploying applications. Serverless computing is typically priced on a pay-per-use basis, making it a cost-effective option for applications with variable workloads. Additionally, serverless platforms can automatically scale to handle varying workloads, ensuring optimal performance and resource utilisation.

You’ll also want to assess the dependencies between your applications and data stores. You want these to be aligned to ensure a smooth migration process that minimises the risk of data loss.

4. Security posture and compliance requirements_

Security is a crucial factor when moving to the cloud, especially if you are storing sensitive information. It ensures your data remains safe from unauthorised access or breaches.

Review the effectiveness of your existing security controls. There are a few must-haves to consider, if you don’t already have them:

• Identity and access management (IAM) is crucial for controlling access to your cloud resources. Utilise strong authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to verify user identities. You may also implement role-based access control (RBAC) to grant users only the necessary permissions to perform their job functions. Regular password changes and password complexity requirements can reduce the risk of unauthorised access further.
• Encryption is another essential security measure. Encrypt data both at rest and in transit to protect it from unauthorised access, even if the devices or networks are compromised. Aim for robust key management practices to ensure that encryption keys are securely stored and managed.
• A comprehensive incident response plan to address security breaches effectively and promptly, should your cloud security ever fail.

You’ll also want to determine if your current security practices comply with relevant industry standards and regulations, such as HIPAA, GDPR and Cyber Essentials, as non-compliance can lead to costly fines and reputational damage.

On top of this, regular security assessments are vital for identifying and addressing potential vulnerabilities. Conduct vulnerability scans to detect weaknesses in your cloud infrastructure and perform penetration testing to simulate attacks and assess your security defences.

5. IT team skills and expertise_

Operating a cloud IT infrastructure requires specific skills from your IT team. So, it’s crucial to assess the level of expertise within your team. As part of this, identify any training or skill gaps that need to be addressed to support cloud adoption.

Then, aim to build a training roadmap to address the gaps. These may include:

• Training and certifications: These are essential for building cloud expertise. Assess your team’s current knowledge and identify any skill gaps. Then, provide targeted training programs to address specific areas and encourage your team to pursue industry-recognised cloud certifications.
• Continuous learning and upskilling: Encourage your team to stay up to date with the latest technologies, trends and best practices. Utilise online resources, webinars and conferences to facilitate continuous learning. You can also consider establishing mentorship programs to pair experienced cloud professionals (if you have them) with less experienced team members.
• Fostering a culture of innovation: Create an environment that encourages experimentation with new cloud technologies and methodologies. Pilot projects can serve to test different approaches and identify the most effective solutions. The, foster collaboration between IT teams and business units to ensure that cloud initiatives align with organisational goals and gain shared benefits.

You’ll also want to evaluate the organisational structure of your IT team to determine if it is aligned with cloud-based operations. If you have severe gaps, it might be a sign you need to recruit to consider outsourcing some of your IT operation to a service provider with cloud expertise.

Creating a cloud implementation plan_

A cloud implementation plan is the roadmap for a successful cloud migration project. If you’re looking to move towards a cloud infrastructure, this is one of first steps.

Below, we list the key components you need to consider in yours.

1. Business objectives_

It’s crucial that the move to the cloud aligns with the overall business strategy and objectives. Spend time considering what you want to achieve and ask whether cloud migration helps you to accomplish those goals.

Once you have determined it aligns with your objectives, clearly articulate the expected benefits of cloud adoption on your business, such as cost savings, improved agility and enhanced scalability. This will allow you to create a vision to move toward, while helping you to secure buy-in with other stakeholders.

2. Cloud strategy_

When building your cloud strategy, you should start by selecting your cloud model.

When choosing a cloud model, consider factors like cost, security, scalability and control. Public clouds offer shared resources and cost-effectiveness, while private clouds provide dedicated environments and greater control. Hybrid clouds combine the benefits of both, while multi-cloud strategies can help mitigate vendor lock-in and leverage competitive pricing.

You’ll also want to consider different deployment options, such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) or software as a service (SaaS). IaaS offers maximum control but requires more management, while PaaS simplifies development and deployment. SaaS provides fully managed applications but may have limited customisation. The best option depends on factors like control, expertise, cost and scalability.

3. Migration roadmap_

Next, you need to develop a detailed timeline for the migration process, including key milestones and deadlines. You also must determine the order in which applications and data will be migrated to the cloud.

This should be documented to enable the project to progress in a sensible, yet swift, fashion.

Consider conducting pilot projects to test the migration process and identify potential challenges.

4. Cost analysis_

Cost will be a critical part of the cloud migration process and your ability to commit to it.

The total cost of ownership (TCO) is key to examine long-term costs. Estimate the total cost of ownership for both your current on-premises infrastructure and the proposed cloud environment, including things like subscription costs, staff, maintenance and so on.

Next, identify potential cost savings, such as reduced hardware and software expenses, energy consumption and maintenance costs, compared to your existing infrastructure.

This will enable you to calculate the expected ROI of the cloud migration, based on the anticipated cost savings and benefits. This should uncover the rewards across your business and give you a benchmark to measure project success against.

5. Risk assessment_

Finally, identify potential risks associated with the cloud migration, such as data security breaches, application compatibility issues and disruptions to business operations.

You’ll then want to develop strategies to mitigate identified risks and ensure business continuity. Part of this includes creating a comprehensive disaster recovery plan to address potential outages or data loss.

Each of the stages listed requires careful consideration and technical know-how. If you do not have cloud-ready skills in-house, it can be difficult to navigate.

In these circumstances, an IT service provider can help you to assess your existing infrastructure, plan the migration, deliver technical support and make security recommendations. This makes it much easier to move towards a cloud-ready IT infrastructure, as part of a smooth project that fully considers risk.

Prepare for the cloud with Microsoft and Infinity Group_

Moving to a cloud IT infrastructure can bring the future to your business. By using it, you can allow your organisation to operate with greater agility and overcome modern working challenges.

It will also make it easier to embrace cutting-edge technologies and application that propel you further, driving performance and granting you a competitive edge.

Microsoft is the leader when it comes to innovative, closed-based solutions. By leveraging it, you can drive long-term change that improves performance.

Our ‘Cut the crap: how to build a no-nonsense business case’ digital event will guide you through the foundations of Microsoft transformation. Our experts will tell you exactly what you need to craft a business case that futureproofs your organisation and a project plan to smoothly navigate the transition.

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